In his first elite tournament since being crowned World Champion, Magnus Carlsen again proved he is the ruler when it comes to classical chess. The Zurich Chess Challenge took place last month and combined games at Standard and Rapid time limits between six of the world's best players. Carlsen (Norway) dominated the standard half, winning with 4/5 ahead of Levon Aronian (Armenia) on 3. Both these players extended their leads as one and two respectively in the world rankings. The Rapid half was a triumph for Fabiano Caruana (Italy) who won with 4/5, While Carlsen achieved on 2 points. But the Standard games counted double under the tournament rules, so Carlsen's combined score was enough for overall victory.
Today's game is from the fourth Standard round at Zurich and features Carlsen playing White against Caruana.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.h3
Choosing an uncritical variation against the Berlin Defence is typical Carlsen, avoiding detailed opening preparation. Having given up bishop for knight, he sets about depriving the black pieces of effective squares such as g4. The immediate 6.Nxe5? loses to 6... Qd4 7.Be3 Qxe5 8.d4 Qxe4 9.dxc5 Qxg2. 6... Nd7 7.Be3 Bd6 8.Nc3 c5 9.O-O Nf8 10.Nd2 Ng6 11.Nc4 Be6 12.Ne2 Qd7
Criticised after the game in favour of 12... O-O. 13.Nxd6+!
Improving the opponent's pawn structure is of no consequence when it leads to the initiative. 13... cxd6 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxf4 Nxf4 16.Rxf4 b6
Black believes 16... O-O 17.Qh5 f5 18.Raf1 Rae8 to be too dangerous in the light of opposite coloured bishops favouring the attacker. 17.Qh5 d5
Kingside castling is now ruled out: 17... O-O? 18.Rh4 h6 19. Rf1 the threat of 20.Bxh6 forces 19... f6 20.Qg6 Qe8 21 Rxh6 winning. 18.d4 c4 19.b3 Qc6 20.Raf1 O-O-O 21.bxc4 Qxc4 22.Rxf7! Bxf7?!
The zwischenzug 22... g6! before capturing on f7 appears to gain a tempo for the defence as White can't improve his queen's position. Now White definitely has more than enough compensation for the exchange. 23.Rxf7 Rd7 24.Rxd7 Kxd7 25.exd5!
This calm capture, more effective than any checks, maintains all the threats and prevents Black from organising his defences. 25... g6 26.Qg4+ Kc7 27.Qe6 Kb7 28.Qe7+ Qc7 29.Qe4!
Centralising the queen so as to combine the passed d-pawn with threats to the black king. 29... Qd7 30.d6+ Ka6 31.Bf4 Rc8 32.Kh2 Rc4 33.Bg3 Rc8
Releasing the blockade on the c-pawn. Once it advances, a breakthough is inevitable. But after 33... Qb5 34.Qe6! Rxc2 35.d7 Qf1 36.Qe4 Rc1 37.Bb8 the pawn queens. 34.Qd3+ Kb7 35.c4! Qc6 36.Qb3 Ka8
Not 36... Qxc4?? 37 d7! Qxb3 38.dxc8=Q+ winning. 37.a4 Re8 38.a5 Kb7 39.c5 Kc8 40.axb6 axb6 41.d5!
Gaining time for the final combination. 41...Qxc5 42.Qa4 Re3 43.Qa8+ Kd7 44.Qb7+ Ke8 45.d7+ Kd8 46.Bh4+ Re7 47.Qc8+ Resigns
The rook is lost: 47... Qxc8 48.dxc8=Q+ Kxc8 49.Bxe7.
Carlsen exercises his reign
Problem: White to play and mate in 6.
In his first elite tournament since being crowned World Champion, Magnus Carlsen again proved he is the ruler when it comes to classical chess. The Zurich Chess Challenge took place last month and combined games at Standard and Rapid time limits between six of the world's best players. Carlsen (Norway) dominated the standard half, winning with 4/5 ahead of Levon Aronian (Armenia) on 3. Both these players extended their leads as one and two respectively in the world rankings. The Rapid half was a triumph for Fabiano Caruana (Italy) who won with 4/5, While Carlsen achieved on 2 points. But the Standard games counted double under the tournament rules, so Carlsen's combined score was enough for overall victory.
Today's game is from the fourth Standard round at Zurich and features Carlsen playing White against Caruana.
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 Nf6
4.d3 Bc5
5.Bxc6 dxc6
6.h3
Choosing an uncritical variation against the Berlin Defence is typical Carlsen, avoiding detailed opening preparation. Having given up bishop for knight, he sets about depriving the black pieces of effective squares such as g4. The immediate 6.Nxe5? loses to 6... Qd4 7.Be3 Qxe5 8.d4 Qxe4 9.dxc5 Qxg2.
6... Nd7
7.Be3 Bd6
8.Nc3 c5
9.O-O Nf8
10.Nd2 Ng6
11.Nc4 Be6
12.Ne2 Qd7
Criticised after the game in favour of 12... O-O.
13.Nxd6+!
Improving the opponent's pawn structure is of no consequence when it leads to the initiative.
13... cxd6
14.f4 exf4
15.Nxf4 Nxf4
16.Rxf4 b6
Black believes 16... O-O 17.Qh5 f5 18.Raf1 Rae8 to be too dangerous in the light of opposite coloured bishops favouring the attacker.
17.Qh5 d5
Kingside castling is now ruled out: 17... O-O? 18.Rh4 h6 19. Rf1 the threat of 20.Bxh6 forces 19... f6 20.Qg6 Qe8 21 Rxh6 winning.
18.d4 c4
19.b3 Qc6
20.Raf1 O-O-O
21.bxc4 Qxc4
22.Rxf7! Bxf7?!
The zwischenzug 22... g6! before capturing on f7 appears to gain a tempo for the defence as White can't improve his queen's position. Now White definitely has more than enough compensation for the exchange.
23.Rxf7 Rd7
24.Rxd7 Kxd7
25.exd5!
This calm capture, more effective than any checks, maintains all the threats and prevents Black from organising his defences.
25... g6
26.Qg4+ Kc7
27.Qe6 Kb7
28.Qe7+ Qc7
29.Qe4!
Centralising the queen so as to combine the passed d-pawn with threats to the black king.
29... Qd7
30.d6+ Ka6
31.Bf4 Rc8
32.Kh2 Rc4
33.Bg3 Rc8
Releasing the blockade on the c-pawn. Once it advances, a breakthough is inevitable. But after 33... Qb5 34.Qe6! Rxc2 35.d7 Qf1 36.Qe4 Rc1 37.Bb8 the pawn queens.
34.Qd3+ Kb7
35.c4! Qc6
36.Qb3 Ka8
Not 36... Qxc4?? 37 d7! Qxb3 38.dxc8=Q+ winning.
37.a4 Re8
38.a5 Kb7
39.c5 Kc8
40.axb6 axb6
41.d5!
Gaining time for the final combination.
41... Qxc5
42.Qa4 Re3
43.Qa8+ Kd7
44.Qb7+ Ke8
45.d7+ Kd8
46.Bh4+ Re7
47.Qc8+ Resigns
The rook is lost: 47... Qxc8 48.dxc8=Q+ Kxc8 49.Bxe7.
1-0
Solution: 1. g4+! Kh4 (1... Kxg4 2. Qh3+ etc.) 2. Qh6+ Kxg4 3. Qh3+ Kf4 (3... Kg5 4. Rg3+ Kf4 5.Qg4#) 4.Rf3+ Kg5 (4... Ke4 5.Qg4+ Rf4 6.Qxf4#) 5.Rg3+ Kf4 6.Qf4 mate.